Month: September 2015

Below you will find a list of some of the better Spanish cities I’ve visited outside of Madrid, with a short commentary on each:

Granada- Old city with heavy Arabic influence definitely worth a visit. Check out the Alhambra, the Albaicin (the old Arab quarter), the Turkish baths, and the main drag off of the main plaza. Most bars give out free tapas if you purchase a drink (even soda), and the tapas in Granada are much better than those in Madrid. The nightlife in Granada is famous and most clubs don’t close down until after 7 AM. There is a cool club called Kamborio in the Albaicin and another called Granada 10 (pronounced Granada Diez) off of the main drag.

Barcelona- Much more cosmopolitan and fun than Madrid during the day in my opinion. I took the double-decker tour bus around the city and thought it was a good way to see all the sites in a short period of time. Check out the Barrio Gothic, Las Ramblas, the yacht harbor, the beach, La Sagrada Familia cathedral and all the other works by architect Gaudi. The restaurant crowds get huge at two pm for lunch, so try to beat the rush. Port Olympico is a good area for nightlife, filled with bars, cafes, and many English-speaking tourists. It’s also right on the water, which adds to the atmosphere.

Marbella/ Puerto Banus- Two of the nicest towns I’ve visited in Spain. Within five miles of each other, both beach towns are filled with resorts, expensive homes, first-rate shopping, big yachts, and a wide variety of restaurants. After you’ve had enough traditional Spain, these areas are a nice change. Almost everybody speaks English, the buildings are relatively new, and you’ll feel like you are back in the first world.

Tarifa/ Morocco- Tarifa is the windsurfing capitol of Europe, and the city resembles a California beach town. It’s a great place to learn to kitesurf (two day minimum for lessons), windsurf, or go canyoning (climbing and sliding down water falls- with a guide). Tarifa is also a good jumping off point for a daytrip to Morocco. I took a guided tour of Tangier, which was really inexpensive and fun. The downside to the tour is that they push you into their own bazaars, rush you at times and try really hard to sell you carpets and spices. Even so, everyone on my tour agreed the day trip was worth doing. An overnight stay would give you a much better chance to see the city.

What I’d Skip on a Short Vacation

Cadiz- Tacky beach town with a cool history. The city is pretty run-down and not really worth a special visit.

Segovia/ Toledo- Unless you plan to spend a long time in Madrid, don’t waste your time on either. Segovia was cooler than Toledo, although a little harder to get to. Segovia has good food, a cool castle, a Roman aqueduct, and not much else (5 hours worth of stuff max.). Toledo is similar to any other old village in Europe, and its museums are really lacking. There is a historic synagogue, a small museum dedicated to El Greco, and a big Cathedral.

When utilising car rentals abroad there is a myriad of considerations that must be made even before you leave the house. For instance, it is essential to have an understanding of the traffic laws of the country or countries you will be visiting. Typically this information will be available from the car rentals company although the consulate or national embassy will also have details of the rule of the road. Obviously ensuring that your driving licence allows for foreign travel and that you have been driving for long enough to drive abroad is essential. Naturally a plan of the journey should also be made, at least for the first day’s travel.

There are number of items that should also be taken on the journey whether using car rentals or not. The modern age has given us the wonder that is the mobile phone and understandably it is important to take this with you when travelling as if any emergency occurs it will be useful. It is also worth checking if it will work abroad as some phones do not allow for international roaming. Most countries, especially in Europe do not allow drivers to use their mobile phones whilst driving so it is always advisable to pull over to make calls.

When looking at car rentals it is a good idea to check and compare the prices of many different companies. When looking on the internet take care because some companies will not give the price in its entirety on the website. Additionally it also advisable to see what will be included in the rental contract. Questions you should ask include, is there a collision damage waiver? Are there any additional taxes? And, how much will any excesses cost?

When utilising car rentals it is also advisable to take note of the company’s opening times, fees are often charged for late returns and if the depot is shut, another day’s rental may be charged. At this stage it is also important to look at the types of rentals on offer in conjunction with your own needs, while an all terrain vehicle may be comfortable, is it really needed? Would a smaller economical car be a better course of action, especially if visiting cities?

It is vital to notify car rentals operatives at the time of booking if travelling with young children. Across Europe it is now required by law that child seats be fitted for all children under the age of twelve or less than 1.35 metres. In addition the majority of countries will have laws on allowing small children to sit in the front seat. Fortunately the majority of rentals companies will be able to provide child seats when hiring the car.

When the time comes to visit the car rentals depot and pick up the vehicle there are a number of vital checks that should be made. Firstly check the car for any damage and highlight this to the representative, not doing this may mean charges are incurred later on. Always keep your copy of the rental contract as this is your proof of using the car, many authorities make spot checks of vehicles, and without the correct documentation it could look like you have obtained the vehicle unlawfully.

Hopefully this advice on car rentals will aid many travellers in the hire process. There are many considerations to be made but with a logical approach it is possible to find the right company and have the best experience.

In Austin hotels heavy discounts are offered, even for four- and five-star hotels. These discounts can be up to 70 percent of the room charges. So if one is lucky enough, or if one does a bit of online research, one can get a four-star hotel room for a two-star price. The chances of getting a discount are higher if you are getting your room booked well in advance.

If there is a group of tourists visiting the city, they can always seek bargains in their room rent in most of the hotels. However, these discounts are mostly offered only when the number of rooms booked by the group is more than

10. Some smaller hotels can give a group discount even if the number of rooms booked is less than that.

There are a number of online and offline resources which provide information about the ongoing discount rates offered by various Austin hotels. Go through them before you get a hotel room booked. Then there are certain websites which provide reviews of these hotels. These reviews often include comments from not only the writers, but also from ordinary people who stayed at these hotels.

However, not all hotels provide discounts. Also, one must verify the kind of services offered by the hotels which are offering heavy discounts. The information sheet provided by such hotels must be read very carefully, since to make up for the discount they might have removed the free breakfast from your list and in the end you might end up shelling out more money for breakfast than you have saved in the discount on your room rent.

The prices of airline tickets vary and change in as little as an hour or a day. The cheap ticket or the discount seat you are hankering about might be gone by the time you call. Of course, there is a chance that tickets for the flight you want are cheaper when you call later. But experience had taught us that the first possibility is more likely. However, there are ways, or tricks to increase your chances of finding a good deal. Just keep the prices of your airline tickets to yourself because your plane neighbor is likely to murder you if he finds out that you only paid half of the amount he did.

Whether you intend to use the internet or travel agency, start your search early. By early, I don’t mean a week or an hour before. A month before your desired date is ideal to find better prices of airline tickets. Don’t buy just yet, just search. It’ll give you an idea of how much and when the rates are likely to fluctuate or inflate at later dates. Keep in mind that airline rates depend on three factors: competition, demand, and inventory. Depending on how their competition is holding up, your choice airline might lower or increase its rates. For example, if Northwest decides to give 10% discounts on airfare, it will not be long before American and United announce similar discounts or travel promos to lower Northwest’s competitive advantage. So start searching early and keep yourself updated about the changes in airline trends.

Do not give definite dates when you call the airline. Just ask for the lowest rates for your destination and say that your travel date and time are flexible. This is especially good if airfare price is more important than your dates like if you’re only considering a vacation or personal trip. It is easier to change travel dates than to pay for expensive airline tickets. To clue you in, winter is the cheapest season to fly except for the days before the Christmas holidays and Thanksgiving. If you can afford it, arrange for vacation trips during the winter. Another trick to save a lot on tickets is to adjust your flight schedules. Ask the airline for the late flights rather than peak hours. The two a.m. flights are generally half-priced compared to morning and mid-morning flights.

Don’t get too excited about discounts; most come with restrictions so research and ask before you purchase your airline tickets. Discounts only work for you if you purchase tickets within the restriction rules. These rules are easy like advance purchase or Saturday night reservation. Advance purchase requires you to buy your tickets a week or three in advance. This guarantees that you have discount seats. Stays or trips that include a Saturday night fall under excursion trips which are cheaper than business trips. Learn about discounts and restrictions so you can use them to your advantage. Also, get round trip tickets instead of using another airline for your return – they are priced the same.

If you’re old like senior citizen old, flaunt your age when buying airline tickets. There are air fare discounts which fall under the age category like senior citizen discounts. As a senior citizen, you are more likely to be given wider berth (read: more perks). Students can use Student Advantage to get discounts. For a hardworking professional, other alternatives are using an alternative airport and smaller airlines. You can save 50% on your ticket just for enduring a two-hour drive.

Lastly, buy airline tickets and use them at the appointed time. Cancellation of flights and rescheduling often have stiff penalties. The $100 you saved from your discounted ticket may not be enough to cover penalties. Enjoy your trip; after all, the cheap airline tickets you have are not really good deals if you did not enjoy.

Bogota has plenty of tourist attractions that lure travelers from nooks and corners of the globe. Here is a list of cultural and historical destinations which are a must visit once you book flights to Bogota. It also houses some natural tourist spots which gives you a variable holidaying experience while you are in the city.

Bogota’s Climate

Bogota enjoys the typical Columbian tropical climate and can experience rainfall during any season of the year. Situated closer on the northern side of the equator, Bogota has a variable weather which changes from day to day. Months of December-March are the best to book flights to Bogota.

Top Tourist Attractions in Bogota

UNESCO has declared Bogota as the World Book Capital. This cosmopolitan city has a lot to offer to the aspiring travelers who want to book cheap flights to Bogota. The city has a vibrant nightlife and an enduring cultural agenda which is reflected in its museums, art galleries, plazas, streets, and avenues. Here is a list of top-rated tourist attractions of the city.

The Gold Museum

This famous museum is the soul of Bogota tourism industry and displays a bizarre selection of pre-Hispanic goldwork items. There are several artifacts expressing the expertise of Latin Americans. When you book flights to Bogota, make sure your itinerary includes the tour of this gold museum.

La Candelaria

A famous downtown neighborhood of Bogota, La Candelaia is also considered as the historic neighborhood of the city. Victorian, Spanish Baroque and Renaissance architectural styles of the old houses, cathedrals and streets will give you the feeling of roaming around in a 17th century American village. You can book Bogota flights to visit La Candelaria which houses the most prominent library of Columbia.

Museo Nacional de Colombia: The National Museum

One of the oldest museums in the South American continent, the National Museum of Bogota stands high on the list of tourists. There are more than 20,000 pieces of art and culture that represent the archeology and ethnography during various historical periods.

Monserrate

As Bogota is situated on higher altitudes, the city is surrounded by some beautiful hills. Monserrate is one of the hills where the travelers can reach either walking or using the aerial tramway. Standing at the top of the hill you get to see a splendid view of the Bogota city. If you are planning a Latin American style honeymoon, book flights to Bogota now!

Eating and Shopping in Bogota

To please your taste buds in Bogota, you can choose from innumerable places where you get to eat Latin American food at economical rates. The town also excels in serving tasty Chinese, Italian and vegetarian recipes.

To have an unforgettable shopping experience in Bogota, hit the flea markets scattered across the city. You can find a cornucopia of various items ranging from artifacts to furniture and antiques.

Visiting Bogota can get easier if you hire services of an online travel agent. Such agents not only help in booking cheap flights to Bogota but also look after other arrangements right from reserving rooms in a hotel to planning your tour as per your budgetary requirements.